Ever fancied learning Tunisian Crochet?

Ever fancied trying Tunisian Crochet? It is a lot simpler than you might think. Here is a quick tutorial on how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch.#

How is Tunisian Crochet different from regular crochet?

Before we get into how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch, lets take a quick look at how Tunisian Crochet is different from regular crochet…

1. You will work each row twice

Each row of Tunisian Crochet is formed from a “forward pass” and a “reverse pass”

In the Forward pass, you will pick up stitches and add them to your hook.

You will then complete a “return pass” to work the stitches back off the hook again.

This also makes it quite a dense fabric without as much “stretch” as some other crochet stitches.

2. You don’t turn your work

You will work the forward pass and return pass with the “right-side” of your work facing, without turning your work like you would in regular crochet.

3. You will need a different hook

Because of the way that you work each row by picking up stitches, you will need a different hook for Tunisian Crochet. Tunisian Crochet hooks are longer, allowing you to have a number of stitches on the hook at once. They are sometimes also accompanied with a cable (like circular knitting needles) to allow you to work very long rows.

4. You need to use a larger hook

Because Tunisian crochet makes a much denser fabric you will need to use a larger hook (width wise, as well as length-wise!) than you normally would with whichever yarn you are using.

For example, for this tutorial, I’m using Scheepjes Merino Soft. It recommends a 4-5mm hook. I would normally use a 4mm hook.

For Tunisian Crochet, I’m using a 7mm hook with this yarn to create a flexible fabric. I’ve also tried it with 6mm but it is slightly tight, it depends of course how tight you want your finished fabric.

It also depends on your own personal tension, as for regular crochet, try different hooks and see which work best for you.

How to make the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch

So lets get started…

Foundation Row

Start by chaining the required number of stitches, just like you would in regular crochet.

If you’re just trying it out, I recommend chaining between 20 and 30 stitches.

Foundation Row – “Forward Pass”

Now you’re ready to start your first “forward pass”. Working into the second chain from the hook, insert your hook from front to back, like you would for regular crochet.

Yarn around your hook and pull through the first chain on your hook

Continue inserting your hook into the next chain, wrapping your yarn round the hook and drawing through one loop. You will be adding stitches to your hook at this point

When you get to the end of the row, your hook should look like this…

Foundation Row “Return Pass”

Now you’re ready to take all those stitches off the needle!

Remember in Tunisian Crochet, you don’t turn your work at the end of each row so keep the right-side facing.

Start by looping your yarn around the hook and drawing through the first loop on your hook.

Next, yarn round hook again and this time draw through two loops.

Continue to yarn round hook and draw through two loops until you have reached the other end of the row.

Once you have reached the end of the row, your work should look like this:

Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch – Forward Pass

So now we can get onto the stitch properly!

You will be working in the loops which you can see running down the front of your work.

Again, remember that you don’t turn your work in Tunisian Crochet so keep the right-side facing you.

Ignore the loop right on the end and start by inserting your hook from right to left into the second hoop

Like for the forward pass on the foundation row, yarn round hook and pull through the loop you have just picked up

Repeat this across the row, until you get to the last two stitches. The last stitch is treated slightly differently as follows:

The last stitch will be right on the edge of your work, as shown below:

For the last stitch, to create a firmer-edge, don’t work through only the front loop of the stitch, like you have for all other stitches. Instead work under both loops of the chain as follows:

That means inserting your hook with the both sides of the stitch into your needle. Insert your needle in here on the last stitch…

Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch – Return Pass

Now you’re ready to work back the other way. You will work this in exactly the same way as you worked the return pass on the foundation row.

Again, remember that you don’t turn your work in Tunisian Crochet so keep the right-side facing you.

Start by looping your yarn around the hook and drawing through the first loop on your hook.

Next, yarn round hook again and this time draw through two loops.

Continue to yarn round hook and draw through two loops until you have reached the other end of the row.

And repeat…

Continue making a forward and return pass for each row. As your fabric stars to grow, you will start to see this gorgeous woven type texture appearing!

Don’t worry if it’s a bit curled, up, like stockinette stitch in knitting, it tends to do this. Its nothing that a good bit of blocking won’t fix! (see blocking, why bother!)

Fasten-off your work

Keep on working until your fabric is as long as you need it.

You could just finish your work here, but I find that the top row looks a bit “loose” compared to the other rows.

To finish it off more neatly, complete this final finishing step:

Instead of adding stitches this row, we are going to stick with just one stitch on the needle, a bit more like traditional crochet.

As for all other rows, you will start in the second “loop” from the hook

Yarn around hook, then pull through both of the loops on your hook. You’ll be left with just one, the one you’ve just pulled through.

Repeat this step for all loops along the row, remembering to end with both chains for the last stitch in the row.

And that’s it! Now you have something which (I think!) looks a lot more even

Well done, you’ve now learned how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful! Let me know how you get on in the comments section below!

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32 Responses

I learned the basic Tunisian stitch many years ago in order to make a blanket that you then cross-stitched an NFL logo on (the grid pattern the stitch produces makes it ideal for this). I’ve just recently decided to try this style of crochet again after seeing a couple patterns that use several other Tunisian crochet stitches beyond the simple and knit stitches. I didn’t realize there were so many different stitches before, Now I’m eager to learn them all. 🙂

This looks like fun! I’ve considered Tunisian crochet before, but haven’t ever taken the time to learn. I think I should explore Tunisian patterns on Ravelry to get inspired to learn. Do you have any pattern suggestions?

Wow, that’s fancy! I found a few scarf & cowl patterns that I like which are made using Tunisian crochet, so I think I’ll try those as starters. Who knows? I might decide to use Tunisian crochet for the blankets I want to make my niece and nephew instead of doing the Granny Squares I’ve been thinking about up to now. 🙂

[…] Learn how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch with this easy to follow photo tutorial with step by step instructions. It is easier than it looks, even if you’re a beginner! Ever fancied learning Tunisian Crochet? jo-creates.com/… […]

[…] Learn how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch with this easy to follow photo tutorial with step by step instructions. It is easier than it looks, even if you’re a beginner! Ever fancied learning Tunisian Crochet? jo-creates.com/… […]

[…] Learn how to crochet the Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch with this easy to follow photo tutorial with step by step instructions. It is easier than it looks, even if you’re a beginner! Ever fancied learning Tunisian Crochet? jo-creates.com/… […]

Hi Beth, I will try to post some pictures at some point but will try to explain. You’ll see that each row looks like it is made up of a row of boxes with lots of vertical bars running along it. Each row is made of both the “forward” and a “reverse” pass. that means that each row of “boxes” is a row of Tunisian crochet simple stitch. When you work a stitch you work into the vertical bar of each previous row. Does that help?

I love Tunisian crochet I’ve taught myself by whacking you tube Australia I’ve only done the imple stitch and now the rib stitch
Is there a book you can buy
Thank you Roberta clancybertaclancy@gmail.com